


Coupons

by Grasslands



Series: Kindred Spirits [4]
Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Birthday, Childhood Friends, Disclaimer: I don't own GG, Jess POV, Kindred Spirits, Literati, One Shot, Party, Rory's Birthday Parties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:01:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26370835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grasslands/pseuds/Grasslands
Summary: Jess always read at parties. It didn't matter whose party it was. However, at Rory's 16th birthday party, he did more than just read. He had to impress Richard Gilmore and he did. Between his knowledge of books and his gift to Rory, he earned Richard Gilmore's approval. Same universe as I Hate You Mommy.
Relationships: Emily Gilmore/Richard Gilmore, Lorelai Gilmore & Jess Mariano, Richard Gilmore & Jess Mariano, Richard Gilmore & Rory Gilmore, Rory Gilmore & Jess Mariano
Series: Kindred Spirits [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1884817
Kudos: 19





	Coupons

**Author's Note:**

> Some of the dialogue is similar to or comes from Rory's Birthday Parties. Thank you all for the comments, bookmarks, and kudos. Thank you for continuing to read my little blurbs from this universe! I have been enjoying writing for this verse so much! I have many more ideas, don't worry. I just moved back to school. I'm a student leader, so I'm one of the few. That said, I am very busy. However, I tend to write every free moment I get. I'm actually writing a full length fic for GG that I will not be sharing until it is done. I will tell you all when it is done though. Thank you again and Enjoy!

"Let him think I am more man than I am and I will be so."

-Ernest Hemmingway

* * *

Jess was headed to Rory's birthday party alone. Luke had said he needed to do or get something but Jess bet he had said it to avoid the crowded house and party for as long as he could. Jess had been tempted to go with him but it was his best friend's birthday party so he had to go just like he always did. He usually went but interacted with others as little as possible. Rory knew and didn't mind as long as he was there for cake and presents because by then most people had left. Otherwise, he was free to read in her room or outside. When he arrived, the party seemed to be in full swing.

He knew the house better than anywhere else in Stars Hallow. Sometimes he felt he was there more than he was at his own place. It was as if Lorelai and Rory had fit the entire town in their house and he couldn't see Rory. He made his way into the kitchen where he knew there would be less people and found Sookie and Lorelai chatting. They were the only ones in the kitchen and it put Jess at ease. Lorelai immediately stopped her conversation to go over to him.

"Hey, Jess! Hiding already? Have you even found Rory yet? Need anything?"

"Nope. Where is Rory though? I should wish her a happy birthday again before I disappear," Jess said. He had seen her briefly on her birthday but her grandparents took over and she had been upset before because of the invites so his birthday wishes had been pushed to the back burner and barely acknowledged.

"Last I saw her she was with Lane by the couch and I'm betting she's still there," Lorelai said. Jess nodded and thanked her before working to push his way through the usually short distance from the kitchen to the couch. He finally made it to the couch and saw Rory talking with Lane and scoffed. Rory was wearing the birthday tiara she'd worn since her thirteenth birthday that Jess always found ridiculous and a pink feathery boa. However, when she spotted him he still returned her hug tightly despite the feathers up his nose.

"You look ridiculous," Jess said, pulling away.

"Well, hello to you too!" Rory said with a large smile.

"Hi. Happy birthday! Sixteen, it's the big one," Jess said.

"Yes it is! Thank you; your duties are done. Go be with your Hemmingway or something," Rory said, shooing him off happily. That had to be one of his favorite things about her. She understood him. She knew he didn't like crowds and never really pushed it without his reluctant okays. She gave him his space at larger events or pulled him aside so it was like it was just the two of them. She was an introvert too but she liked the people in town far more than him so she always had others to talk to when he disappeared. She was the perfect best friend for him.

"Thanks. Bye, Rory. Lane," He nodded at Rory's friend, watching as Rory immediately turned to her to continue their conversation. He liked Lane enough. She had good music taste but her mother hated him and he hated her mother so they didn't talk much. He went straight to Rory's room and was only stopped by three people saying hello to him which he responded to politely but curtly. When he got to her room, he went straight to his shelf. They were Rory's books but they consisted of books he'd made her read that she wasn't fond of or books he was lending her. He spent a good ten minutes trying to decide what to reread before settling on The Old Man and the Sea. While not many people's favorite Hemmingway, it was his. There were so many angles to look at it from and it held fond personal memories for him as well. He could hear everyone shouting and talking outside the door so he grabbed a pen and left the room. He headed straight outside through the kitchen door and went to sit at his normal spot on the porch. However, when he got there there was already someone sitting and reading. It was a tall man who looked to be in his late 50s or early 60s. It looked like he was reading a magazine. Jess didn't know where to sit. It seemed rude to leave to find another spot and creepy to settle down beside the man.

"You can sit. I believe there is enough room," the man said, making the decision for him. So, Jess sat. He turned to a random page, took out the pen and began to read. He knew the book so well it didn't matter what page he started on. The book was so well written that there was no bad part of the book and therefore no bad page to land on. He read contently next to the man while he read the magazine. It was a comfortable silence with only the sound of pages being turned.

"What are you reading?" The man asked. Jess glanced at him. The magazine was closed on his lap, supposedly finished. Jess simply turned the book so the man could see the cover. He couldn't be too upset by the interruption. He knew how the book ended. He knew most of the book almost by heart.

"Excellent choice. You have good taste. Smart idea bringing a book. I should have done so myself," the man said humming to himself at the end. Jess dog eared his page, something Rory hated and set it down. It was rude not to talk to an adult and the man had the same idea as him so they had to have a few things in common.

"I bring a book everywhere I go. This one's Rory's though."

"Now that is a wonderful way to go about life! I'm Richard Gilmore. I didn't know my granddaughter read Hemmingway. I'll have to remember that," Mr. Gilmore said. It was Rory's grandpa. She was still getting to know him, but Jess knew she respected and loved him. He seemed like an upstanding man and more likable than his wife sounded. Now he knew he really had to be respectful and make a good impression.

"Jess, sir. She doesn't. She hates him actually; only reads him when I make her. My copy is almost completely torn apart and has so many ink markings it's hard to read so I borrow hers."

"Ah, duly noted. So, Hemingway is a favorite of yours? What book is your favorite?"

"The Old Man and the Sea. It's at least one of my three favorite books of all time. I know most people say For Whom the Bell Tolls when they hear Hemmingway and it's a good book, but The Old Man and the Sea has a great background story to it while also being philosophical on its own."

"How so? I personally prefer For Whom the Bell Tolls."

"Sure it's a great book, but you gotta know some history going into it. It isn't as easy for people to just pick up and get. You don't have to know The Old Man and the Sea is an allegory to like it. There's more to it. It's first and foremost a story of luck and a man trying to see if good luck can be sought after and caught. I've always found luck interesting because the word implies you don't have control. However, in The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago goes to actively end his bad luck. By the end, it's still up for debate if it is or isn't. He got the big catch but it was ripped to shreds," Jess said. He was a man of few words most times unless discussing books. Music and Movies could get him talking too, but books were the way to get him into a deep conversation. Rory was the only person who really knew as much about books as him and was willing to discuss and analyze them in-depth with him though. He was pleased her grandfather was a well-read man like her and wanted to know what he thought of Hemmingway. He fought Rory on it tooth and nail and tried to discuss the man's books, but Rory was always against it. He'd said the same thing to Rory a hundred times, but she always replied that it was the bulk of the story and Hemmingway's style of writing that was boring.

"A very interesting analysis. I never thought of For Whom the Bell Tolls that way. However, I like history and so do most of my fellow colleagues. They either like it or know it. Perhaps I need to reread The Old Man and the Sea. Luck is a very interesting thing and maybe it is a mix of both what you do and what happens to you." Richard said.

"'Luck is a thing that comes in many forms and who can recognize her?'" Jess quoted. Richard hummed, impressed or approving, Jess wasn't sure, but it was positive. Just as he finished Rory came around the corner. She had a plate in her hand and a huge smile on her face.

"Oh, good you guys met! It's time for cake and presents. Jess, I brought you some spanakopita," she said hugging Jess quickly before handing him the plate. She glanced at his book choice and rolled her eyes, "The Old Man and the Sea again? I swear, you read it anymore and my copy's going to look just like yours!"

"Not like you'll care. You better not throw it away when it does though. It's got some important annotations in it. Would you like some spanakopita, Mr. Gilmore? It's the closest thing to healthy you'll get here," Jess said, offering the man the plate. Mr. Gilmore accepted and took one of the triangle pies. He bet the word pie was the only reason Lorelai let something with spinach into her house.

"Richard is fine, Jess. Delicious food and lovely party, Rory. Thank you for having us," Richard said when he finished his food.

"I'm so glad you came, Grandpa. I wanted you to meet Jess. I was hoping he'd come out here to read but I wasn't sure if he had. He's my best friend. Did you get to finish reading the magazine or did you guys just talk?" Rory asked. She was beaming.

"I did. Very interesting material."

"So, what's the verdict?"

"I am an autumn," Richard said with dignity. Rory smiled before heading inside. Jess turned to Richard who was sitting back down.

"Come on. It's one of Rory's rules. We can only hide out until cake and presents," Jess told the man.

"Well alright," Richard said following Jess inside. Most people were gone, leaving the Gilmores with a much more intimate and close group than before. Rory had saved a seat for Jess next to her while Richard went beside his wife. Emily Gilmore looked stern, uptight, judgmental and downright unpleasant. He couldn't imagine a man like Richard being married to her, or anyone being married to her. He knew from Lorelai's stories that she was a hard woman to be around but she even looked like it.

Sookie brought out a cake with Rory's face on it and they quickly sang before Rory blew out her candles. She almost caught her feathers on fire while she did, not that she noticed. As the cake was being cut and passed out, Jess reached for the boa.

"Take this stupid thing off. You're gonna catch yourself on fire," Jess said. She allowed him to take it off and he tossed it away from them before accepting a plate of cake. He got a piece with Rory's eye and cringed, "this is by far the weirdest cake Sookie has made for you."

"Oh, most definitely. It's delicious though so I will happily eat my hair," Rory said. Jess smiled and took a bite. It was good despite its creepiness. When they were done, Sookie took everyone's plates while Lorelai began to give Rory presents to open. Jess couldn't keep track of how many books Rory received before her mom handed her a large box. She opened it to find a laptop. It was a pretty cool one, one of the newest versions. She'd need it for Harvard so it was a good gift.

"No! It's too much, too expensive," Rory exclaimed. She had a pleased smile on her face though.

"I know that's what I told the man at the store but he wouldn't listen!" Lorelai said jokingly. It seemed like Lorelai had brought her gift, the biggest gift, out last so that meant it was Jess's turn. They had decided very early on in their friendship that monetary gifts would only be for Christmas. Birthdays were a time for them to be creative. When they were little it meant silly crafts and handmade cards. However, once they got older Jess found one thing that was both perfect to give to her and solved most of their petty fights. So, he reached into his pocket and handed her a small wrapped gift. He still wrapped it even though she knew exactly what it was. She opened it and flipped through it excitedly.

"Thank you, Jess! Oh, I'm going to use one right now. One second," Rory exclaimed after giving him a huge hug. She flipped through the booklet before ripping out a sheet, leaning over, and grabbing a book. She handed him the book and the coupon and as Jess saw the title, he groaned.

"No," Jess said, handing the two things back.

"Yes. You have to. Come on, it's so good and I've been waiting for years to make you read it."

"Anything else, Rory."

"Jess, you like Jane Austen. Who's to say you won't like this?"

"I have started it at least 5 times and gotten annoyed within the first page. I can't read a book where I hate the main character. I mean Austen wrote her to be unlikeable; she even said so."

"Nobody really likes Fanny, but you still like Mansfield Park."

"Yes, but Fanny was at least a good and likable character even though she was boring. Emma is an annoying brat."

"You have not finished it so you do not get to say that. Besides, I think you'll end up liking it. You like Jane Austen!"

"I like Hemmingway and The Old Man and the Sea but it doesn't mean I like Across the River and Into the Trees."

"Why are we even fighting over this? You have to read it."

"Yeah, yeah. Thank God I only gave you 7 book coupons this year," Jess huffed. Rory however did not look pleased.

"Hey, that's one less than last year!"

"Calm down I put in one more town event and another meeting too," Jess said. He wasn't sure what crazy thing Rory would drag him off to, but he knew she secretly liked those ones the most because it meant them spending a day or night at some crazy festival together. Plus, most of the time she could persuade him to read a book. She only used the book coupons on books she knew he probably wouldn't like and usually didn't. He did not want to waste more time reading stupid books for another year.

"Really! Cool, let's go to the dance marathon. You've never watched it and it's always super entertaining," Rory said, decidedly. Jess groaned. Of course she picked the longest town event to make him go to. He should have put a disclaimer about the dance marathon and made it worth at least three coupons. Rory seemed to know though, "You only have to go for 6 hours."

"Fine. Fine," Jess conceded. Every year Jess ended up going to the same events because he only went when Rory made him with the coupons he gave her or when Luke actually reluctantly attended certain events like the fire-light festival. There were quite a few events he'd never been to in his nine years living in Stars Hallow and he was fine with that fact.

"What did he get you?" Richard asked, interested. He was leaning over and trying to read it. Everyone else knew what it was and were used to the discussions that they brought up. Jess would pretend to fight it for a little bit, knowing he'd done it to himself. It was a much easier and smoother process than before he began to make the booklet every year. It went from days of begging and arguing to minutes.

"Oh, it's a coupon book, Grandpa. Jess makes them for me every year. It has things like letting me pick the take out or the movie on movie nights, making him read a book I want him to read, and going to town meetings and town events. It's a tradition."

"Well, that's a wonderful idea! Perhaps I should make you one, Emily, for the insipid parties you drag me to," Richard joked. Jess stifled a laugh and grimaced at Emily's unimpressed and unkind look.

"Drag you to? Drag you to? They are our duty and many of our closest friends attend or host them. Most of them are charity events and the others are business or personal. They are not voluntary or insipid!" Emily said with a raised voice.

"I was just joking, dear. That is a very thoughtful gift, young man. I have never heard of such a thing before!" Richard said. Jess smiled gratefully. Rory squeezed his arm and smiled at him, clearly pleased that he had impressed her grandfather and gained his approval.

"Are you kidding, Dad? I made you one of those at school when I was like ten. I think every school-aged child has made a coupon book for someone for valentine's day or mother's day or father's day," Lorelai said. However, Richard looked the same as before.

"Well no, Lorelai, I don't remember. I'm sorry. I'd never seen such a thing," Richard said. Lorelai muttered a whatever before getting up and returning with a plate full of food.

"Alright, embarrassing Rory stories time!" Lorelai announced.

"This isn't embarrassing, but, Morey, do you remember when she used to sit by our old tree stump because she thought it was a fairy ring? She would just sit and wait for the fairies to come," Babette said. Morey hummed and nodded. Jess remembered Rory showing him the description in the book and trying to convince him that it was indeed a fairy ring and not a tree stump. He'd taken one look at the bark and tree rings and called her crazy.

"Hey, all I know is that it matched the description," Rory defended clearly embarrassed even though Babette claimed it wasn't embarrassing.

"Oh you were just darling. How old were you then?"

"I think she was ten," Lorelai said.

"She would sit for hours with a peanut butter sandwich just waiting for the fairies to get hungry and come."

"Yes, and then Jess would come and take it and eat it," Rory said, mock glaring at him.

"Just call me Tinker Bell," Jess said. He only remembered doing it twice as a child but he might have done it more.

"I'm still crushed beyond belief that she quit her dance lessons," Patty said dramatically.

"Not me! Little Miss "Perfect Work Ethic" would dance all around the house 24/7 practicing and practicing," Lorelai bemoaned.

"And I still stunk," Rory said. Jess couldn't help but nod.

"That's not true! She was good," Patty tried to defend, but it didn't sound like even she believed herself.

"Yes, she was so good she stayed a bulb and didn't blossom," Jess said teasingly. He remembered watching the performance and trying not to laugh. However, it hadn't been very funny afterward when Rory was crying. The flowers Luke made him bring her hadn't helped because they were daffodils and reminded her all over again of the mistake on stage.

"Hey, that was not me; that was the costume. I'm not saying I was good, but that was not about my dancing," Rory said, shaking a finger at him. Rory got up and went to the kitchen while Miss Patty continued to argue about Rory's so-called gifts. Lorelai had gotten up and followed. Rory came back out without her mom in tow and plopped back on the floor and set the plate on the coffee table between her and Jess. She had gotten food that both of them liked and he happily ate more. Besides spanakopita and cake, he'd eaten nothing at the party. Although a little fancy for Jess's tastes, Sookie's cooking was amazing.

"Mom, went to get more ice. We're out," Rory whispered to him. However, he heard the front door open and Lorelai laugh. A few minutes later Luke was greeting everyone in the living room. He gave Rory a hug and messed with Jess's hair, something Jess despised and Luke knew he hated, before taking a seat on the couch. The group continued to tell stories and Jess simply sat and listened with little to no interjections. He noticed Emily Gilmore and Lorelai were not in the room and he did not know where they went or what they were talking about. Richard, however, was in the chair Emily had been in also content to just watch and listen. Emily and Lorelai did come down and when they did Emily had determined it was time to leave. Richard got up and motioned for Rory to follow, presumably to say goodbye. Rory stood and brought Jess up with her.

"Come on. I'll bet he wants to say bye to you too," Rory whispered.

"Thank you for a wonderful evening, Rory. I enjoyed the reading material immensely. And it was very nice to meet you, Jess. I'll reread The Old Man and the Sea and tell you what I thought."

"I look forward to it," Jess said sincerely. He needed someone to talk to about his favorite author in a kind and friendly light. Richard reached into his suit and pulled out an envelope and handed it to Rory.

"For Fez."

"But, Grandpa, you already took care of Fez!"

"Fez is a very large city."

"Thank you! See you next Friday."

**Author's Note:**

> Jess's thoughts on Emma are mine. I have tried to read Emma at least three times and have found her so annoying and grating that I don't believe I have made it past three pages. I have a friend and his second favorite book of all time is The Old Man and The Sea. I don't know why but I used him, revisited the book, and tried to figure out why my friend might like it and the discussion between Jess and Richard was created. I find the ocean boring Hemmingway and Melville may be great writers, but man is boating boring! So, I always wondered why Rory gave Richard a magazine to read when she had a million books she could have given him to read at her party. It made no sense and I think it was in the show for comedy. Richard reading a magazine; haha. So, I tried to make it make sense. Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
